The invention relates generally to an improved stereoscopic viewing device. It is particularly directed to the provision of a stereoscopic viewer adapted for using a film strip containing spaced stereograms thereon in cooperation with an attached booklet.
Stereoscopic viewers are known which enable stereograms to be viewed. Typically, the viewer requires either the use of a pair of stereoscopic picture frames mounted or recorded on a film to have a fixed center-to-center spacing equal to a selected interocular distance such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,807,191 issued Sept. 24, 1957 to Rolla T. Flora and 2,889,744 issued June 9, 1959 to Joseph L. Bonanno, or the use of mirror devices for reflecting juxtaposed paired stereoscopic picture frames to the viewing lenses such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,636 issued May 31, 1977 to Giuliano Cecchini. A major disadvantage of these type devices is the associated cost of the film recording technique and/or the (mirror) image reflecting devices.
The following patents represent some of the prior art pertinent to the field of the present invention: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,590,260 issued Mar. 25, 1952 to G. M. Mast et al; 2,643,577 issued June 30, 1953 to J. N. Williams; 2,573,543 issued Oct. 30, 1951 to J. C. Childs; 2,326,718 issued Aug. 10, 1943 to G. M. Mast; 2,122,649 issued July 5, 1938 to M. Kahn; and 2,667,810 issued Feb. 2, 1954 to J. F. Jaros. These prior art patents are merely typical of the art showing stereoscopic viewers and are not in any way intended to be an all inclusive list of the pertinent patents.
In contrast to the prior art, the present invention provides a stereoscopic viewer which enables the use of a film strip having a pair(s) of stereoscopically recorded spaced picture frames which are brought together to have a center-to-center interocular separation for alignment with the viewing lenses by means of a new and improved film drive and film take-up mechanism, is adapted for ease of use by the operator and involves a minimum of associated parts. A booklet can readily be attached to the viewer which, in written form, provides supplementary information relevant to the stereogram(s).